Johnson Controls unveils sustainability commitments

Taking a long-term view of a global corporation’s role for the environment and sustainability, Johnson Controls has revealed new corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments and a net zero carbon pledge to support a more sustainable planet over the next two decades.

The company’s own emissions reduction targets, along with those of its customers, will be driven by its OpenBlue connected technologies and innovations which leverage big data and artificial intelligence to optimize buildings sustainability.

“We continue to make sustainability a top priority for the company, our customers and our suppliers, and have set ambitious goals that will drive significant improvements in carbon emissions,” said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls, in a company release.

The company’s new commitments include:

Environmental Sustainability:

• Set science-based targets consistent with the most ambitious Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenario
• Reduce the corporation’s operational emissions by 55% and reduce customers’ emissions by 16% before 2030
• Achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2040
• Invest 75% of new product development R&D in climate-related innovation
• Achieve 100% renewable electricity usage globally by 2040

Customer and Supply Chain:

• Double annual avoided emissions by 2030 through customer use of OpenBlue products and services
• Create a supplier sustainability council
• Weight sustainability equal to other key metrics in supplier performance evaluations

Social and Governance Sustainability:

• Intends to double the representation of women leaders globally and minority leaders in the U.S. within five years
• Launch an initiative to educate the next generation of diverse sustainable building industry leaders
• Include sustainability and diversity goals in senior leaders’ performance assessments
• Launch an initiative focused on underserved markets

OpenBlue Support for Customer Sustainability Initiatives

According to the company, its OpenBlue Enterprise Manager can deliver up to 30% energy savings in buildings and a corresponding drop in CO₂ emissions. The platform facilitates real-time monitoring, benchmarking and analysis of energy consumption and demand. It also enables customers to produce indoor environmental quality (IEQ) reports to help achieve healthy building and wellness certifications.

johnsoncontrols.com